Tuesday, March 24, 2015

Ruin Porn

"Ruin Porn," or shots of the many abandoned buildings that dot the rust belt, isn't typically my thing - but when the chance to wander through the abandoned Hercules Engine Plant in Canton dropped in my lap I didn't pass it up.

I was in down there today shooting for Main Street Modern. Afterwards we were standing on the loading dock(below photo) and I pointed and asked, "Is that the huge empty factory you can see from the bridge coming into town"? They told me that it was the diesel engine factory that closed in 1999 and that there was an open gate. Adam and I decided to walk over and check it out. I've read many essays on the merits ruin porn-tourism/photography - but the simple fact is we all like looking at it - and as a photographer who likes to shoot everything I'm natural going to snap and share some photos.

"From the Dock" - at Main Street Modern
Of course the internet is full of the stories of this place being haunted. The original building of the plant is an ice house dating to the 1800s - apparently there was a bad cholera epidemic and they couldn't bury the bodies fast enough and the building was used as a makeshift morgue. The "haunted websites" talk about cold patches in the factory - which I did experience - but probably because this is a giant indoor space with basements in parts. Lets just say abandoned places are generally creepy.
"Pillars of Industry"
"Huge Spaces"
In 2008 there was a plan to spend 178 million dollars to renovate and turn this 26 acre site into condos and shops. I don't know what happened to the plan - or if it was always a pie-in-the-sky-type deal.
"Stairway to Heaven?"
This office above the factory must have been lit on fire at some point.
"Diesel for Your Diesel"
"Ceilings"
There are/were 29 interconnected warehouse style buildings built between 1855 and 1945. Left of the stack looks like one of the older ones.
Looks like the back of Main Street.
"Layers"
"Windows and Shadows"
"Shattered"